Viggo Mortensen, Lance Henriksen talk estranged family in-fighting and dementia in 'Falling'

Viggo Mortensen makes his feature filmmaking debut with Falling, and serves as a triple threat - actor, writer, and director. Mortensen's character is charged with caring for his ailing father, played by Lance Henriksen, who is struggling with dementia.

In an interview with Yahoo Entertainment, Mortensen spoke about how the story was at least party inspired by his own experiences.

"When dementia is depicted [in film] there's something about it that doesn't quite gel with my experience, and I've had a lot" he said. "Both my parents, step-father — tons of it. On both sides of the family."

Watch the full interview with Mortensen and Henriksen above.

Video Transcript

- You said you couldn't handle the farm anymore. The long winters, living all alone there.

- I would never say that.

- You did, Dad.

ETHAN ALTER: Viggo, for you, I think one of the things I really appreciate about the movie, especially coming out now, we're in a time where there are so many divisions within families because of politics, because of the media, in some cases. And your film really wrestles with, what do you do when a parent and a child can't agree anymore on things? As you've watched this sort of play out in the real world, what are your thoughts about that? How do you hope the movie helps comment on that in some way?

VIGGO MORTENSON: Polarization and problems in society and in families existed before we made the movie. But, as we approach the release on the 5th of February, the movie has become more timely than ever. It's true that, it's like another pandemic. We now have a problem with communication, obviously. And yeah. That's one of the things we were setting out to do was just to ask questions, really, not give answers. But just to say, are there people you just can't talk to? Are the people that don't deserve to be communicated with? I happen to think that you can always try.

ETHAN ALTER: Have you experienced that personally recently because of real world events? Are there people you have trouble talking to now?

LANCE HENRIKSEN: Yeah, they're not around.

VIGGO MORTENSON: Yeah. Well, that's one reason, yes. Physically can you? But the other thing is, yes. It's, I mean, I'm surprised that people that I know to be intelligent and thoughtful believe some part of, or in some cases, the whole package of lies that we've been fed by the Trump administration and its supporters in the past years. It's remarkable. And especially what's happened since the election. And it's been remarkable to see people that I respect kind of saying, well, maybe there's something to it. No, there's nothing to it.

LANCE HENRIKSEN: Everybody's got their own thing going. This is not a chocolate factory movie. You know, it's got a lot of things that are going to draw out things in people. And I pleasure at that. That's whatever they want to-- whatever they want to feel is free.

ETHAN ALTER: Well, Lance, for you, I mean, you're playing someone who's very hateful. He obviously has mental issues that exacerbate that. But there's a lot of hate in his soul [INAUDIBLE]. Can you empathize with someone like that? How do you get in someone's head like that who carries so much hate inside of him?

LANCE HENRIKSEN: There's nobody that gets through this life unscathed. And there are as many stories as there are families. And so, I use stuff from my past, as a child. You know, and it opened a door.

ETHAN ALTER: I was reading about your childhood. You had quite a traumatic experience at times growing up. Were there specific things you drew on for this role based on your own history?

LANCE HENRIKSEN: Yeah. I draw on everything that has ever happened to me in acting. Because I don't want to act. I don't-- I want to live it, you know? That's how I learn.

WILLIS: Gwen? Gwen! I said--

JOHN: Dad. This is a plane. Mom's not here.

ETHAN ALTER: Well let's talk about some of the mental health issues that are part of the script too. Viggo, you touch on dementia in the film. That's what the father's wrestling with. Are these issues that you hope get renewed attention for people to deal with in their own lives if they have a family member dealing with this?

VIGGO MORTENSON: I think the best thing you can do, if you're making a movie about it, is to be honest and accurate about the portrayal. And one of the things that I felt with all the movies I've seen-- and I've tried to see everything. When dementia's depicted, or Alzheimer's, generally speaking, there's something about it that doesn't quite gel with my experience. And I've had a lot. Both my parents, stepfather, grandparents. Tons of it on both sides of the family.

And I've been intimately involved with it, even in a caregiver role, at times. Even the best depictions show someone who's generally confused. And if they try to show, in some way, the point of view of the person afflicted with dementia, for example, they're showing a confused point of view, generally. And that's not my experience. My experience is that the people observing are the ones confused.

And, I think that the way that Lance portrays dementia in this story, and the way that we do as a movie story, is, for me, from my experience, much more accurate than what I've seen. So I am happy with that. I think being accurate and truthful about it, all the complications that come with it, is the best way to draw attention to it in a positive way.